Fast Casual Nation

Bartender and James Beard nominee Ivy Leyenda joins Fast Casual Nation to break down whether cocktails belong on the fast casual menu. She talks batching for consistency, realistic price points ($12–$15), why she's skeptical of automated pour systems and pricey mocktails, and which accessible spirit brands can add a "craft" signal without wrecking your pour cost. Plus: a first look at this year's Perfect Pitch competitors ahead of the Fast Casual Executive Summit.#FastCasualNation #BeverageProgram #CocktailMenu #RestaurantIndustry #Mixology #FastCasual #RestaurantOperators #HospitalityBizBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support.Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights.Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

Nékter Juice Bar CTO Jon Asher joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to break down how AI is reshaping guest personalization, loyalty, and data strategy at the 200+ unit juice bar chain — plus why clean first-party data matters more than any single AI tool.#FastCasual #RestaurantTech #AIinRestaurants #NekterJuiceBar #LoyaltyMarketing #RestaurantIndustry #GuestExperienceBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support.Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights.Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

Penn Station President Lance Vaught and Curion's Thomas Gilbert join Fast Casual Nation to break down how the 40-year-old sandwich brand is winning over Gen Z customers and employees through local authenticity, digital training, AI-driven personalization, and a rejection of old-school discount marketing.SPONSOR:Curion - We connect brands to people. Visit https://curioninsights.com#FastCasualNation #PennStation #GenZ #RestaurantIndustry #Franchising #FastCasual #RestaurantMarketing #QSRBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support.Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights.Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

On this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Daniel Ceniceros, Founder & CEO of Connect Media, to unpack how commercial real estate is reshaping the restaurant industry. Daniel breaks down why "treasure hunting" retailers like Ross and TJ Maxx are becoming smart anchor tenants, how secondary markets are opening new opportunities for fast casual growth, why shrinking restaurant footprints are the new normal, and why operators no longer need to sign themselves into decade-long leases. The conversation also dives into what's really happening with distressed office and retail properties, the future of vacant malls and big-box space, and what it takes to win a coveted location against bigger national brands.#FastCasualNation #CommercialRealEstate #RestaurantIndustryBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support.Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights.Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

Dave's Hot Chicken CMO Brandon Rhoten joins Fast Casual Nation to break down how the fast-growing chicken chain uses AI on the back end for customer data and financial analysis while deliberately keeping it out of creative and content production. Rhoten, who previously helped shape Wendy's irreverent social media era, discusses why Gen Z brand loyalty is disappearing, how Dave's uses its seven spice levels to create personalization within a small menu, and why he believes brands that let AI make decisions instead of humans will struggle as the crowded chicken category faces a shakeout.This episode is sponsored by Mountaire®It’s time to get cooking with premium chicken from Mountaire® Black Label. Popular primal cuts with real profit potential, like the new hand-selected premium chicken tenderloins and convenient flat pack party wings. Learn more at: www.mountaireblacklabel.com#FastCasualNation #DavesHotChicken #RestaurantMarketingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support.Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights.Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory